“Aye, and a sick boy and a woman—the frail kind, I’m thinking, not used to lifting her hand to anything heavy.”
Barney got up and peered out.
“Well, if the snow’s not over our heads the morrow I can beat my way there and keep their fires going for another day.”
David got up and joined Barney, sliding a grateful hand through his.
“That would be bully! You know his mother said if they could only keep the big fire going on the open porch and get him out there again she was sure he’d begin to get better. It’s been the cold and the staying indoors that has put him back. Do you think, Barney, do you think—You know I could take my turn at it.”
“Sure and ye can, laddy. Wait till the morrow and we’ll see what we can do—the two of us.”
VII
THE TRAPPER’S TALE OF THE FIRST BIRTHDAY
The snow was still falling steadily next morning and David came down to breakfast with an anxious face.
“Now don’t be worrying, laddy,” was Barney’s reassuring greeting. “It takes a powerful lot o’ snow to keep a man housed on these hills when he has something fetching him out.”
And Johanna, coming in with her hands full of steaming griddle-cakes, brought more encouragement.